End of the Road for The Tubby Chef
Discussion
Well they never sold the best pies in the world, although the current offering, "the 1lb Daddy of all Pies," is a flaky offering indeed. Flaky can be used in almost all senses of the word, but certainly not in any sense that neither Ms Delia Smith nor Messrs Ramsay, Roux, Le Blanc, Jus-Rol inc. would recognise.
At least you knew what you were going to get with an Early Starter, not world class, overpriced yes but.... you'd been on the road since sparrows and you needed some energy input so there was the Tubby Chef sign and so .....
The Little Chef chain is to be broken up and sold. According to this article in the Sunday Times just over 50% of the chain will be up for sale. Rumours that many will be turned into Maccy Ds. It gets from bad to worse.
At least you knew what you were going to get with an Early Starter, not world class, overpriced yes but.... you'd been on the road since sparrows and you needed some energy input so there was the Tubby Chef sign and so .....
The Little Chef chain is to be broken up and sold. According to this article in the Sunday Times just over 50% of the chain will be up for sale. Rumours that many will be turned into Maccy Ds. It gets from bad to worse.
I'm quite sad at hearing this as in the old days (when owned by Forte) they used to be quite good value for money with decent food too ... but then they were sold off continually and the quality went and the prices skyrocketed! Shows how not to run a business really.
Heard someone say on the radio they are only liked by the young and the old - and not much inbetween. And that's where the business has gone wrong. The menus haven't been brought up to date and that's cost them.
I think most of them are shared with Burgerkings aren't they?
>> Edited by MikeyT on Monday 28th February 00:44
Heard someone say on the radio they are only liked by the young and the old - and not much inbetween. And that's where the business has gone wrong. The menus haven't been brought up to date and that's cost them.
I think most of them are shared with Burgerkings aren't they?
>> Edited by MikeyT on Monday 28th February 00:44
I seem to recall stopping at a Little Chuck on the A1, back in about '94.
We parked up and got out for a walk about, and ended up round the back of the place. It was a warm summer night, the back door to the kitchen was open.
Inside, above the staff door leading into the restaurant, some comedian had stuck a large, perfect replica of the Auschwitz gateway sign 'Arbeit Macht Frei'.
I
, and to this day it is the phrase that appears when I turn my mobile phone on...
We parked up and got out for a walk about, and ended up round the back of the place. It was a warm summer night, the back door to the kitchen was open.
Inside, above the staff door leading into the restaurant, some comedian had stuck a large, perfect replica of the Auschwitz gateway sign 'Arbeit Macht Frei'.
I
, and to this day it is the phrase that appears when I turn my mobile phone on...Not all are closing so will still be able to get an Olympic breakfast 
somewhere.
I know they are overpriced but I dont mind paying, for the convienience. The times I have used them is usually late on a sunday so they are usually quite empty and the service is good and so is the food (its difficult to bodge a fry up).
Hope whatever they replace will still do an all day breakfast, sometimes its the only thing your body craves when on a long trip of need a pick me up. I cant imagine me craving a salad
somewhere. I know they are overpriced but I dont mind paying, for the convienience. The times I have used them is usually late on a sunday so they are usually quite empty and the service is good and so is the food (its difficult to bodge a fry up).
Hope whatever they replace will still do an all day breakfast, sometimes its the only thing your body craves when on a long trip of need a pick me up. I cant imagine me craving a salad
JagLover said:
Thank god for that
They occupy some prime locations-all we need is someone who knows how to cook food and how to offer customer service and it will be an immense improvement.
How they survived this long given the level of service they offer is a mystery to me.
Aye, they were the epitome of all that is bad with food in this country, pre cooked bland unimaginative cheap overpriced offal microwaved by bored children, managed by geeks and cleaned with a filthy botulism riddled used nappy. Wife got food poisoned in one, I think I hate them more than speed cameras.
Trouble is, it'll be replaced with a similar set up under a different name
JagLover said:
Thank god for that
They occupy some prime locations-all we need is someone who knows how to cook food and how to offer customer service and it will be an immense improvement.
How they survived this long given the level of service they offer is a mystery to me.
But do you really think they'll be replaced with anything other than one of the fast food giants? Less choice, non-existent service and the same overpriced junk the local chav population swallows by the bucketload.
I worked in one on the A1 in North Yorks in the summer of 1988 just before I went to University, we used to serve the local plod patrols free tea and teacakes out of the back of the place. The work and the place were dire, but the police refreshment service stood me in good stead when I was pulled over 'pressing on' in my dad's car later that year
apache said:
Aye, they were the epitome of all that is bad with food in this country, pre cooked bland unimaginative cheap overpriced offal microwaved by bored children, managed by geeks and cleaned with a filthy botulism riddled used nappy.
True that staff were probably on minimum wage (like most other places in catering I think) but there are times when only an Early Starter will do.
Ciabatta with sun-dried tomatos, pesto and bagel sauce? No thanks!
Mark Benson said:
Thank god for that
They occupy some prime locations-all we need is someone who knows how to cook food and how to offer customer service and it will be an immense improvement.
How they survived this long given the level of service they offer is a mystery to me.
But do you really think they'll be replaced with anything other than one of the fast food giants? Less choice, non-existent service and the same overpriced junk the local chav population swallows by the bucketload.
I worked in one on the A1 in North Yorks in the summer of 1988 just before I went to University, we used to serve the local plod patrols free tea and teacakes out of the back of the place. The work and the place were dire, but the police refreshment service stood me in good stead when I was pulled over 'pressing on' in my dad's car later that year
You are right it might well be replaced by a fast food type place-but if say they were all replaced by Costa coffee (which I stopped at on the M25 Services) it would still be a damn site better-I don't expect miracles-just not having to wait an hour for a cofee and a microwaved (by the taste) meal.
apache said:
Aye, they were the epitome of all that is bad with food in this country, pre cooked bland unimaginative cheap overpriced offal microwaved by bored children, managed by geeks and cleaned with a filthy botulism riddled used nappy. Wife got food poisoned in one, I think I hate them more than speed cameras.
Trouble is, it'll be replaced with a similar set up under a different name
"botulism riddled used nappy" - priceless. Even the American tourists avoid them.
mxdi said:
Thank for that!!
Makes me giggle when they advertise for chefs in the paper, or when you hear of someone doing their 'chef' training in one.
And then they charge £7 for a burger and chips.
Seven Pounds?!? That's fifteen bucks over here - a sum for which I'd expect a damn good steak.
(copyright B. Bailey) 
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